Wawa has announced the opening date for its first store in Nashville, which will begin serving residents on Nov. 19. This will mark the chain’s sixth store to open in Tennessee this year.
“We are excited to spread our wings into Nashville with our first store in the city and sixth location in Tennessee,” said Brian Schaller, president of Wawa. “We look forward to bringing our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to Nashville and to our ongoing expansion statewide as we continue to build new stores, create new jobs and serve more communities in Tennessee.”
In 2026, Wawa has opened stores in Clarksville, Dickson, Murfreesboro, Lebanon and Manchester and plans to open additional stores in Nashville and Murfreesboro for a total of seven stores in Tennessee. Over the next 10 years, Wawa noted in a statement, the retailer plans to build and open more than 50 stores in in the state.
To build each store, Wawa will invest more than $7.5 million and employ, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store will employ an average of 35 associates, with Wawa expecting to create 1,800 new, long-term new jobs.
Growing Strategically
Wawa has been steadily growing its footprint over the past several years in new and existing markets across the U.S. As it grows in Tennessee, it is strategically building out its store network in the Midwest — a key market in Wawa’s expansion plans.
In late March, the company announced the opening of its 11th and 12th stores in Ohio — a state the retailer entered only a year prior.
Wawa initially announced that it would expand to Ohio in February 2025, kicking off its major Midwest expansion with a grand opening on April 16. Not only did that date mark the retailer’s entrance into its 10th state, but it coincided with the founding date of the first Wawa store that opened on April 16, 1964, in Delaware County, Pa.
Fondly known as “Wawa Day” by associates and customers, the retailer toasted its new friends and neighbors in Liberty Township, Ohio, as well as across its 1,100 locations, with festivities to celebrate its entrance to the Midwest.
“This historic milestone kicks off our ongoing growth and expansion in Ohio as we continue to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian Schaller at the time, president of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending our commitment to being a good neighbor with the announcement of several community partnerships made on opening day.”
Over the next eight years, Wawa plans to build and open 6-10 stores per year in Ohio, with expectations to open up to 60 stores in the state.
